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Horn: The joy of winning silver trumps everything

For many
football fans, the mere mention of penalty shoot-outs and Germany instantly
conjures up memories of great matches of the past, from the quarter-final
against Argentina at the 2006 FIFA World Cup™ or the nerve-shredding showdown
with Italy in the last eight of UEFA EURO 2016. In both cases it was the
Germans who came out on top.

As Saturday
evening turned into night, it became clear that spot-kicks would also be needed
to settle the final of the Men’s Olympic Football Tournament Rio 2016 between
Germany and Brazil. This time Lady Luck sided with the Olympic hosts, who
celebrated wildly on the hallowed turf of the legendary Maracana stadium.

Even the
sterling efforts of goalkeeper Timo Horn could not prevent Germany from having
to settle for silver. After his Brazilian counterpart Weverton saved Nils
Petersen’s penalty, it was down to Neymar to convert the final kick for the
home side. He stepped up and fired an unstoppable shot into the net.

“At first
we were overcome by sadness as we got so close to gold,” Horn explained after the
defeat in an exclusive interview with FIFA.com.
“If we had lost earlier in the match, it would have been a little different.

“Penalty
shootouts are always a matter of luck. That’s the first set of penalties I’ve
ever lost in my career so far, so obviously that makes it twice as tough to
take. Nevertheless, when you look back over the past few days and realise what
we’ve achieved, it really is sensational. The joy of winning silver trumps
everything.”

The
Maracana legend and magical memories
The likeable goalkeeper will not forget his Maracana experience in a hurry. A
remarkable 63,707 fans packed into the arena to watch their team win the title,
creating a unique atmosphere.

“As a
player, you only get the chance to play at the Maracana in a final against
Brazil once in a lifetime; we wanted to enjoy it and that’s what we did,” said
Horn. ”Of course we knew the whole stadium would be rooting against us. It was
particularly noticeable during the penalties, which naturally put huge pressure
on our takers, but they did a great job nonetheless. We were a little unlucky
to lose today, but all in all we’re happy with silver.”

The
23-year-old, who features between the posts for Cologne in the Bundesliga, will
be travelling home with not only a medal but also many wonderful moments to
look back on. “We’re so glad to have been able to stay in the Olympic Village
for another two or three days. We’ve had a unique experience.” It is an
experience no male German footballer has experienced since players such as
Thomas Hassler, Karl-Heinz Riedle and Jurgen Klinsmann won bronze at Seoul 1988.

'We’re
very proud to have been able to call him our coach'“Taking
part in the Olympic Games is obviously a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and a
chance you very rarely get as a footballer,” Horn said. “To go on and win a
medal that you can show to your children and grandchildren one day is something
to be very proud of. That’s why the joy of winning silver and finishing in
second place has taken over, despite the disappointment we felt at first.”

The
result also enabled Germany’s youngsters to give their coach a fitting send-off.
Just like Silvia Neid in the women’s final on Friday, Saturday evening marked
the end of an era for Horst Hrubesch as he steps down from his role nurturing
the country’s brightest young talents.

“Horst
Hrubesch has been my coach for more than four years now, so he has overseen
more of my youth development than any other DFB [German Football Association]
coach; I’ve learned an unbelievable amount from him,” said Horn of his time
with the 64-year-old.

“He was a top player during his playing career and
continued that success as a coach. He won several titles and is a living legend
in my eyes. We’re delighted to have been able to end his career with a silver
medal,” the goalkeeper continued. “He even had tears in his eyes in the dressing
room; it was a very emotional moment. We’re very proud to have been able to
call him our coach.”